In 2015, there were over 260,000 registered nurses in Australia¹. That’s no surprise; the diversity within the field of nursing is astonishing – from registered nurses to nurse practitioners to critical care nurses, there is an extensive variety of nursing professions.
It is difficult to underestimate the invaluable role of nurses, both in health care settings but also in communities. The care and comfort nurses provide to their patients is indispensable and wide-ranging.
According to the World Health Organization:
“Nursing encompasses autonomous and collaborative care of individuals of all ages, families, groups and communities, sick or well and in all settings. It includes the promotion of health, the prevention of illness, and the care of ill, disabled and dying people.”²
This is a profession that many are drawn to, and with good reason – the diversity, the challenges, and above all, the opportunity to provide care and comfort to those who are in need.
We outlined the many reasons why people become midwives, and in this post, we asked undergraduate students why they decided to become nurses. Their responses showcase the multitude of reasons why people are inspired to become nurses, just as you might be too!
Tania Savvas
“In my final few years of school, I knew that I wanted a career that involved helping and caring for people, but I didn’t know which path to go down to achieve that goal. After thinking about it carefully and doing my research, I realised the perfect way to fulfil that was to become a nurse.”
Marty Williams Jr.
“What I’m most passionate about is helping people and making children smile – so nursing was the right choice.”
Madison Hobson
“I am passionate about helping others, which is essential for anyone working in the health care system, as you always want to have your patients’ best interest at heart.”
Kavya Reji
“From a very young age, I had an ambition to pursue a career in the medical field. I’m passionate about making a difference in the lives of patients as well as helping the broader community.”
Michelle Zhang
“I would like to become a health care professional and use my experiences to help people in similar situations, to assist them in all the ways I can, and pay forward the kindness and love I received.”
Finbar McCaughan
“After visiting many nursing homes throughout my life and having cared for my late grandmother in the last five years of her life, I knew I wanted to study nursing.”
For more inspiring stories, head over to our website to read about the experiences of undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Find out more about studying nursing at UTS
References
¹ Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2016, Nursing and Midwifery Workforce 2015, AIHW, Canberra. Available from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/workforce/nursing-and-midwifery-workforce-2015/contents/how-many-nurses-and-midwives-are-there
² World Health Organisation 2019, Nursing, WHO, Geneva. Available from: https://www.who.int/topics/nursing/en/
Inside | Out 